New MINI John Cooper Works Aceman sizes up MG4 XPower

Alongside the new John Cooper Works Electric at this years Paris Motor Show, MINI has also revealed its five-door crossover equivalent, the new John Cooper Works Aceman. The two share almost all of their underlying tech and mechanical components, but differ in one key way – they operate in different markets, and therefore come with a very different set of rivals. Available to order in the coming weeks from £40,220, first UK deliveries will arrive in April 2025. 

Getting straight to the point, the JCW Aceman features a single, front-mounted electric motor that’s good for 254bhp when in ‘Electric Boost’ mode. MINI is quoting a 0-62mph time of 6.3 seconds, 0.4 seconds behind the smaller and lighter Cooper, with a top speed of 124mph.

The motor will otherwise peak at 227bhp in normal driving, which is 27bhp more than the standard Aceman. While this is a good figure for a supermini-sized EV like the Cooper, the larger five-door Aceman has much tougher competition to go up against, whether it be Abarth 600e, Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce or Cupra Born VZ. 

Right at the top of the class, in terms of power, sit dual-motor rivals like the Smart #1 Brabus and MG4 XPower, both of which destroy the MINI with power figures over 400bhp. However, while those cars are presented and therefore priced as high performance models, the driving experience suggests otherwise, which is where MINI’s hoping to fight back. 

Unique to the JCW are a set of uprated springs and dampers, plus high performance 19-inch tyres on the bespoke alloy wheels. There’s no mention of any form of limited slip differential, as you’ll find in the Alfa Romeo or Fiat, but with a low centre of gravity and an impressive driving experience in lesser forms, the Aceman could still be the one to beat when it comes to driving engagement. 

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The JCW also features the same 54kW battery pack as the standard car, with a WLTP range figure of 243 miles from a charge. Charging speeds are only average for the class, reaching speeds of up to 95kW on a DC fast charger, however due to the relative size of the battery, a 10-80 per cent top up will still only take around 30 mins. 

Alongside the new wheels, the JCW has picked up a bunch of sporty styling tweaks including a larger rear wing, aggressive front bumper and red highlights. Similar changes inside are also included, such as a JCW-specific fabric pattern on the dash and unique graphics for the central infotainment and driver information display.  

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